For the Love of Trump: A History in Photo-Ops

It's funny how the only two Republican presidential hopefuls who consented to be photographed with Donald Trump are Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin. Perhaps they both have the strongest sense of the power of images -- even when that image means being photographed with a fake-tanned-and-blow-dried fake presidential candidate. With Palin out of the race, Gingrich is the candidate who's wrapped the reality star in the warmest embrace. The former House Speaker not only met with Trump, he held a press conference with him on the launch of a new policy-minded reality show. Mitt Romney, by contrast, was embarrassed enough by the inexplicably mandatory meeting with Trump that he snuck in and out of the building without reporters' noticing. The rest of the candidates fall somewhere between Romney and Gingrich in the Trump-love scale.

Name: Newt Gingrich

Trump meeting date: December 5

Level of Trump visibility: High. Gingrich held a joint press conference with Trump and announced the reality star had agreed to create a version of his reality show The Apprentice for 10 young poor kids.

On Trump debate: Buy. Gingrich was the first to sign up.

Trump's rating of candidate: Gingrich's "amazing" campaign "really resonated with so many people."

Name: Michele Bachmann

Trump meeting date: Bachmann has met with Trump four times; this photo of her exiting Trump Tower was taken October 13. (All photos via Associated Press unless otherwise noted.)

Level of Trump visibility: Moderate. Bachmann's campaign allowed photos of her with Trump's building but not with Trump himself.

Level of Trump visibility: Low. Romney managed to duck photographers by going into Trump Tower through a subway entrance, Politico explains. Campaign staff made waiting reporters think that Romney was about to arrive, when he was already inside with the reality star. CBS News' Sarah Boxer tweeted the photo at left of reporters just before they learned they'd been fooled: